Wire winding device



June 18, 1968 R. E. RICHARDSON WIRE WINDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 19, 1966 INVENTOR. RA/VDEL E RICHARDSON BY W/dkZwz W June1968 R. E. RICHARDSON WIRE WINDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.19, 1966 INVENTOR. RANDEL E RICHARDSON J1me 1968 R. E. RICHARDSON3,338,725

WIRE WINDING DEVICE M INVENTOR.

RANDEL E RICHARDSON BY E m 65 22 6(7 yd 4 r 1 E United States Patent3,383,725 WERE WINDING DEVICE Randal E. Richardson, 4822 Holt Drive,Memphis, Tenn. 38116 Filed Get. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 587,878 9 (Ziaims.(Cl. 14093) This invention relates to a device for winding pieces of tieWire and is particularly adapted for the winding of such wire in theformation of articulated concrete mattresses used to line the banks of ariver.

In the formation of articulated mattresses of the abovementioned type, aplurality of concrete panels or slabs having attachment wires projectingfrom the ends thereof are secured to a cable by means of pieces of tiewires wound or twisted around the cable and attachment wires.Heretofore, the securing of the above-mentioned pieces of tie wire wasdone by hand. This was a very slow and laborious task. The presentinvention is directed towards providing a motor-driven device forwinding the abovernentioned pieces of tie wire in the formation of anarticulated concrete mattress.

Thus, one of the principal objects of the present invention is toprovide a labor saving motor-driven device for winding pieces of tiewire.

A further object is to provide such a device having a carriage that canbe quickly and easily rolled into place and thence actuated to wind thetie wires.

A further object is to provide such a device having unique and efficientwire winding elements.

A further object is to provide such wire winding elements in which eachhas a tie wire receiving notch therein and which elements rotate inopposite directions to engage opposite ends of the wire and wind same.

A further object is to provide such elements having means for preventingseparation thereof and having means for locating the tie wire during theinitial positioning thereof.

A further object is to provide a unique arrangement of the parts of thedevice wherein by a simple downward movement of the actuating assemblythe tie wires can be easily and quickly wound.

A further object is to provide such a device having means for feedingthe tie wires one at a time into position to be engaged by the wirewinding elements.

A further object is to provide such a device having means for holdingthe tie wire elements during the downward movement thereof into aposition over the cable and attachment wires.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment willbe readily understood from the following specification upon reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present inventionshown in use in the construction of an articulated concrete mattress.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as on a vertical plane through theouter housing of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as on the line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the end of one of thefinger members and with a group of tie wires shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as on a vertical plane through thelower portion of the actuating assembly and taken as on line V-V of FIG.6.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the actuating assembly.

3,383,725 Patented June 18, 1968 FIG. 8 is a view showing the actuatingelements in place and just after the tie wire has been Wound.

FIG. 9 is a view of the notch defining faces of the wire windingelements as they would appear if laid out on a flat surface and taken ason the line IX-IX of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line XX of FIG.9.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line XI-XI ofFIG. 9.

FIG. 12. is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line XII-X1I ofFIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals, the device 11 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1in connection with the construction of the articulated concrete mattress13. Mattress 13, as is known to those skilled in the art, comprises aplurality of concrete slabs 15 having attachment wires 17 that areembedded in the adjacent ends of the concrete slabs 15. Mattress 13 alsoincludes cables 19 extending between the ends of the concrete slabs 15and to which the attachment wires 17 are attached by the pieces of tiewires 21. The attachment wires 17 extend outwardly from an end of aconcrete slab 15, thence at a right angle along a portion of the cable19 and thence into the end of the opposite concrete slab 15 as best seenin FIG. 1. Also, in the figures a tie wire 21' which has been woundaround the attachment wires 17 and cable 19 is shown. For purposes ofclarity the pieces of tie wire after winding will be denoted with aprime mark, as 21, and will be denoted 21 when in the original shapebefore winding, as seen in FIG. 2. The adjacent ends of concrete slab 15are indented as at 23 during the formation of the concrete slabs 15 soas to provide room for the winding or twisting of the tie Wires 21. Aswill be understood from the following description, it is the purpose ofthe device 11 of the present invention to wind the tie wires 21 in acoil around the attachment wires 17 and cable 19 as shown as at 21' inFIGS. 1 and 8.

The device 11 of the present invention comprises in general a wheeledcarriage 25, which is movable over the concrete mattress 13, anactuating assembly 27 mounted for vertical movement relative to carriage25, and a tie wire feeding mechanism 29.

Carriage 25 comprises a substantially box-like outer housing 31 which isopen from the top to the bottom thereof. Also, carriage 25 includes aplurality of swiveled wheels 32 (preferably but not necessarily four innumber, as shown in FIG. 1) which engage and roll on the concrete slabs15 and which are connected to outer housing 31 by suitable supportmeans, as the support members 33 fixedly attached to housing 31 so thatthe outer housing 31 can be supported above the cable 19 with the device11 straddling the space between the ends of the concrete slabs 15, asshown in FIG. 1.

Actuating assembly 27 comprises in general an inner housing 35telescopically and slidably mounted in outer housing 31 for verticalmovement therein, wire winding elements 37, 39, a handle 41, suitablemotor means as electric motor 43 mounted on handle 41, and meanscoupling motor 43 to wire winding elements 37, 39 for the drive thereof.

Referring now to actuating assembly 27 in more detail, the wire windingelements 37. 39 are rotatably mounted in side by side relationship inthe lower end of inner housing 35 for rotation about a common horizontalaxis. The elements 37, 39 are each substantially circular. The wirewinding elements 37, 39 are substantially alike, and the followingdescription of wire Winding element 37 will suifice for both. Also,corresponding parts of Wire winding element 39 will be denoted by theuse of the prime mark. The inner face 45 of the main portion 47 of wirewinding element 37 is vertically disposed and in sliding rotationalengagement with the inner face 45 of the main portion 47' of wirewinding element 39. The interior of inner housing 35 is preferablyarcuately formed as at 49, 4.9 to respectively rotatably receive mainportions 47, 47. On the opposite side of main portion 47 from inner face45 element 37 is provided with a gear portion 51 integrally andconcentrically formed with the main portion. Also, on the outside ofgear portion 51 remote from main portion 47, the element 37 is providedwith a circular bearing portion 53 integrally and concentrically formedwith gear portion 51 and main portion 47. Likewise, element 39 is formedwith gear portion 51 and a circular bearing portion 53. In the frontwall 55 and the back wall 57 of inner housing 35 is providedsubstantially circular openings 59, 59 in which bearing portions 53, 53'are respectively journaled. Element 37 is provided with a tie wirereceiving notch 61 provided in a segment thereof and which extends fromthe outer circular edge thereof inwardly and just beyond the axis of theelement. Also, this notch 61 extends through the main portion 47, gearportion 51, and the bearing portion 53. In other words, notch 61 extendsall the way through element 37 from inner face 45 to the outside face 63of bearing portion 53. Notch 61 is defined by a pair of angularlydisposed and substantially radially extending faces 65, 67 of theelement 37 which are perpendicular to inner face 45 and which convergeinwardly, as best seen in FIG. 5, with the faces 65, 67 being connectedby the arcuate face 69 that extends around the horizontal axis X ofelement 37 as shown in FIG. 5. As will be better understood later in thespecification, the face 67 is the tie wire engaging face that does theactual work along with portions of arcuate face 69. Element 39 issimilarly provided with anotch 61 but since the elements 37, 39 rotatein opposite directions, the tie wire engaging face 67' of element 39 isopposite from the tie wire engaging face 67. Circularly disposed tongueand groove means concentric with the horizontal axis X of elements 37,39 is provided coupling the elements together to prevent separationthereof. Thus, a dovetail tongue 71 circularly disposed about theabove-mentioned horizontal axis X projects from the inner face 45 ofelement 39 into a corresponding dovetail groove 73 in element 37 so thatthe elements 37, 39 are free to rotate relative to each other inopposite directions but are held against separating movement. Thenotches 61, 61' a e normally in a first or starting position in whichthe notches face downwardly as shown in FIG. 5. The lower edges of frontand back walls 55, 57 of inner housing 35 are notched out as at 75, '75to correspond to notches 61, 61'. The notched out portions 75, 75, itwill be understood, extend upwardly to the openings 59, 59' tocorrespond to the notches 61, 61' when the latter-mentioned notches arein said first or starting positions shown in FIG. 5. From the foregoing,it will be understood that due to the notches 61, 61' and notched outportions 75, 75, the actuating assembly 27 can be moved downwardly intoa lower or operating position in which the tie winding elements 37, 39straddle the cable 19 and attachment wires 17, as best seen in FIG. 8.

Two pairs of idler gears (one pair of which is shown by the numeral 77and the other pair by the numeral 77') are rotatably mounted in innerhousing 35 respectively on transverse shafts 79, 79' in spaced apartrelationship. Idler gears 77 respectively engage gear portion 51 andidler gears 77' respectively engage gear portion 51'. The spacing of thetwo gears 77 and the spacing of the two gears 77' are such that at leastone of the gears 77 and at least one of the gears 77' are always inengagement with gear portions 51 and 51, particularly while the othergear of the pair is opposite notches 61, 61'. A pair of drive gears 81,81' are rotatably mounted in inner housing 35 on a transverse shaft 83with the shaft being in parallel spaced relationship to transverseshafts 79, 79'. Drive gear 81 is provided with a first gear portion 85which engages idler gears '77 and is provided with a second or beveledgear portion 87 integrally formed with gear portion 85. Similarly, drivegear 81 is provided with a first gear P I i n 85' and a second orbeveled gear portion 87. First gear portion 85' is in engagement withidler gears 77'. A beveled pinion gear 89 engages beveled gear portion87 on one side thereof and beveled gear portion 87 on the other sidethereof. Pinion gear 89 is fixedly attached to the lower end of thevertically extending shaft 91 of electric motor 43 which shaft rotatablyextends through the tubular portion 93 of handle 41. Motor 43 is mountedin a casing 95 fixedly attached to the upper end of tubular portion 93and which forms part of the handle 41. Also, handle 41 includes a handgrip 97 fixedly attached to casing 95. It will be noted that the lowerend of tubular portion 93 is fixedly attached to housing 35. Electricmotor 43 is provided with suitable switch means and source ofelectricity, not shown, in the usual manner, so that the motor can beturned on which will cause shaft 91 and pinion gear 89 to rotate. Thisin turn will drive gears 81, 81 in the opposite direction andconsequently through the remainder of the gear train best shown in FIG.6 will drive elements 37, 39 in opposite directions. Suitable well-knownswitch means or stop means is preferably provided for stopping theelements 37, 39 in the heretofore-mentioned first or starting positionafter the end of each operation so that the device is ready for the nextoperation. In the example given, it will be understood that element 37is driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5, and element 39is driven in the opposite direction at the same rate of speed. In otherwords, both of the elements 37, 39 start with the notches 61, 61 facingdownwardly and rotate in opposite directions with the notches comingback to the same place and aligning on each revolution. It will beunderstood that this is just a momentary passing or aligning of thenotches 61, 61 and normally the elements 37, 39 make a plurality ofrevolutions during the winding of the tie wire and before they stop.

The tie wires 21before being wound are preferably in the shape oroutline of notches 61, 61'. Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, tie wire 21 isformed of a single piece of bendable wire in which the legs 99, 101thereof converge upwardly and are integrally joined adjacent the upperend thereof by the arcuate portion 103.

Referring now more in detail to feeding mechanism 29, it comprises amagazine housing 195 containing a plurality of the tire wires 21. Themagazine housing 105 is preferably shaped as will be seen in FIG. 1 tocorrespond to the tie wires 21. In the interior of magazine housing 105is provided a spring 107 urging a plate 109 to the left as viewed inFIG. 3. On the other side of plate 109 from spring 107 is provided theheretofore mentioned plurality of tie wires 21 in contiguousrelationship. A pair of finger means or elements 111 (only one of whichis shown) are movably mounted in grooves 112 in magazine housing 105 formovement between an extended position, as shown in FIG. 3, and aretracted position to the right of the position shown in FIG. 3.Suitable means is provided for moving the finger elements 111 betweensaid extended and said retracted positions. This means, for example,preferably comprises a lever 113 mounted on a shaft 115 which ismanually rotatable as by means of the crank 117 fixed to shaft 115.Lever 113 preferably is slotted as at 119 to receive a pin 121 mountedon finger element 111 so that when the crank 117 is rotated, pin 121 iscammed by the lever 113 between said retracted and extended positions.At the end of each finger element 111 is provided a projection 122 whichhas a sloped surface 123 defining one side of the projection and a ledge125 defining the other side of the projec tion. For purposes of clarity,in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the different tic wires are labeled 21, 21a, 21b and210. In FIG. 4 the finger element 111 is shown just after separating tiewire 21 from the others in the group comprising 21a, 21b, and 210, andwith the finger element shown in a position during its movement to theleft. FIG; 3 shows the tie wire 21 after being moved into a readyposition by the extension of finger element 111. From this extendedposition, shown in FIG. 3, the finger element 111 is then retractedwhereupon the projection 122 moves behind the legs of the tie wire 21aready to push tie wire 21a out into the ready position. It will beunderstood that due to the sloped surface 123 the projection 122 whenmoving to the right as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 causes the leg of the tiewire to be moved inwardly and when the ledge 125 has passed the leg ofthe tie wire, the leg will spring out in front of the ledge 125 ready tobe pushed by the ledge. -It will be understood that when the first tiewire is moved to a ready position by extension of the finger elements111, the others of the group of tie wires remaining will be movedforwardly one wires width into position by the spring 107. Suitable stopmeans, not shown, is provided for stopping the first one of the tiewires in a correct position, as for example, in the position shown by21a in FIG. 3 ready for the finger element 111 to move it out into theready position shown by the tie wire 21. However, first, before wire 21ais moved out into such a ready position, the actuating assembly 27 mustbe moved downwardly to carry wire 21 downwardly out of the way forwinding or wrapping engagement with the cable 19 and attachment wires17. In other words, the tie wires are moved out one at a time into aready position in the path of the actuating assembly 27 and theactuating assembly is moved downwardly alternatingly with the extendingmovement of the finger elements 111. -It will be noted that in FIGS. 2and 3 the inner housing 35 is in a substantially raised positionrelative to the outer housing 31. This is done for the purposes ofclarity of illustration, but it will be understood that normally theinner housing 35 when in a starting position is such that the notches61, 61 and 75, 75' are in horizontal alignment with magazine housing 105and the elements 37, 39 are in the position shown by the broken lineposition of wire winding element 37 as at 37 in FIG. 2. From theabove-mentioned starting position the actuating assembly 27 is moveddownwardly by the operator grasping handle 41 and pushing downwardlythereon to carry the tie wire 21 downwardly therewith to the positionshown in broken lines in FIG. 2 in which position the tie wire 21 isstraddling the cable 19 and attachment wires 17 as shown. Means isprovided for holding the tie wire 21 during the above-mentioned downwardmovement, and this means preferably comprises a pair of members 127, 127that are slidably mounted in inner housing 35 for vertical movement. Themembers 127, 127 are substantially identical and the followingdescription of member 127 will suflice for both, with correspondingparts of member 127 being indicated by the prime marks. Member 127comprises an upstanding barlike portion 129 slidably mounted in avertical groove 131 provided in the wall of outer housing 31. Abovebar-like portion 129 in vertical groove 131 and extending bet-ween theupper end of the bar-like portion and housing 31 is provided a spring133 urging bar-like portion 129 up wardly. At the lower end of bar-likeportion 129 is fixedly attached a horizontally extending foot portion135 which is adapted to be contacted by the lower end of leg 101 of tiewire 21. The upper surface of foot portion 135, when the member 127 isin an upward position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, is level with theupper surface of the bottom 137 of magazine 105 and extends into closelyspaced relationship to the magazine housing so that the tie wires have aplatform upon which to slide out on when the tie wires are being movedoutwardly by the finger elements 111 as heretofore described. It will beunderstood that when the actuating assembly 27 is moved downwardly fromthe heretofore-mentioned starting position, the tie wire 21 will pushdownwardly against foot portions 135, 135' and cause the members 127,127' to move downwardly therewith until in the broken line positionsshown in FIG. 2. After the tie wire 21 is in the downward or broken lineposition straddling the cable 19 and attachment wires 17, motor 43 isturned on which causes rotation of the elements 37, 39 whereupon therespective tie wire engaging faces 67, 67' will engage the respectivelegs 19]., 99 to cause the winding thereof around the cable andattachment wires. It will be understood that during this winding thelegs of the tie wire will be pulled off of foot portions 135, which willallow the members 127, 127' to return to their upward position ready foranother tie wire.

Means is preferably provided for slightly cocking tie wires 21 relativeto the inner faces 45, 45' of the elements 37, 39 so that leg 99 isadjacent tie wire engaging face 67' and leg 1411 is adjacent tie wireengaging surface 67. This means is preferably in the form of a groove139 which has a portion 141 in face 67 adjacent inner face 45, a portion143 in face 57 adjacent inner face 45, and a connecting portion 145joining the portions 141, 143 and extending diagonally across the innerfaces 45, 45', as best seen in FIG. 9. Thus, when the tie wires aremoved out into the position shown as at 21 in solid lines in FIG. 2, thetie wire will be slightly cocked by engagement with the groove 139.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the sequence ofoperations of the device 11 of the present invention is first to movethe carriage 25 into the position shown in FIG. 1, move the crank 117 toextend a tie wire into a ready position in the center of the outerhousing 31, turn the crank to retract the finger elements 111, move theactuating assembly 27 downwardly, turn the motor 43 on to cause the tiewire 21 to be wrapped around the cable and attachment wires as shown bythe completely wound tie wire 21' in FIG. 1, turn the motor off, raisethe actuating assembly 27 to the heretofore-mentioned starting positionready for reception of another tie wire.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is notbe so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein whichare within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

1. A device for winding pieces of the tire wire having legs in theconstruction of an articulated concrete mattress comprising a carriageincluding an outer housing, an inner housing slidably mounted in saidouter housing for upward and downward movement therein, a pair of sideby side wire winding elements rotatably mounted in said inner housingfor rotation about a horizontal axis, said elements each having asubstantially radially extending tie wire engaging face defining oneside of a tie wire receiving notch in the element, said elements beingnormally positioned in a first position in which said notches arealigned with one another and are facing downwardly, and means operablycoupled to said elements for rotating one of said elements in onedirection from said first position and for rotating the other of saidelements in the opposite direction to cause said tire wire engagingfaces to urge the legs of the tire wires in opposite directions for thewinding thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 in which is provided dovetail meansinterengaging said wire winding elements for preventing said elementsfrom being spread apart.

3. The device of claim 1 in which is provided an up standing handleincluding a tubular portion attached to said inner housing for movingsame upwardly and down wardly, and in which said means opcrably coupledto said elements includes a motor mounted on said handle adjacent theupper end thereof, a shaft driven by said motor and turnably extendingthrough said tubular portion, a pinion gear attached to said shaftadjacent the lower end thereof, a pair of spaced apart drive gearsengaging opposite sides of said pinion gear for drive in oppositedirection by said pinion gear, two pairs of idler gears respectivelyinterposed between said drive gears and said elements for the drivethereof.

4. The device of claim 1 in which is provided means defining a locatinggroove in said tire wire engaging faces of said elements, said locatinggroove having a portion thereof on each of said elements and aconnecting portion extending across the adjacent faces of said elements.

5. The device of claim 1 in which is included means attached to saidouter housing for feeding pieces of tie wire into a position forengagement by said elements upon downward movement of said innerhousing.

6. The device of claim 5 in which is included means movably mounted insaid outer housing for holding the tie wires upon downward movementthereof during downward movement of said inner housing.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said feeding means comprises a magazineassembly including a magazine housing for receiving a plurality of tiewires therein, and at least one finger means for engaging the tie wiresone at a time, and actuating means coupled to said finger means formoving said finger means laterally to push the tie wires one at a timeinto the path of downward movement of said elements.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said holding means includes a pair ofslidably mounted members respectively having feet portions upon whichthe legs of the tie wires are adapted to rest during downward movementthereof, and resilient means attached to said members for urging saidmembers upwardly to return said members after the tie wires are removedtherefrom.

9. A device for winding pieces of tie wire having legs in theconstruction of an articulated concrete mattress comprising a wheeledcarriage movable over the concrete mattress, said carriage including anouter housing, an

inner housing slidably mounted in said outer housing for upward anddownward movement therein, an upstanding handle including a tubularportion attached to said inner housing for moving same upwardly anddownwardly, a pair of substantially circular side by side wire windingelements rotatably mounted in said inner housing for rotation about acommon horizontal axis, said elements each having a substantiallyradially extending tie wire engaging face defining one side of a tiewire receiving notch in the elements, said elements being normallypositioned in a first position in which said notches are aligned withone another and are facing downwardly, a motor mounted on said handle,means interposed between said motor and said elements for rotating oneof said elements in one direction from said first position and forrotating the other of said elements in the opposite direction to causesaid tie wire engaging faces to urge the legs of the tie wires inopposite directions for the winding thereof, means attached to saidouter housing for feeding the pieces of tie wire into a position forengagement by said elements upon downward movement of said innerhousing, and means movably mounted in said outer housing for holding thetie wires upon downward movement thereof during downward movement ofsaid inner housmg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 431,043 7/ l 890 Frackleton 572,098,945 11/1937 Davis 140-122 3,169,559 2/1965 Working 140149 CHARLESW. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR WINDING PIECES OF THE TIRE WIRE HAVING LEGS IN THECONSTRUCTION OF AN ARTICULATED CONCRETE MATTRESS COMPRISING A CARRIAGEINCLUDING AN OUTER HOUSING, AN INNER HOUSING SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAIDOUTER HOUSING FOR UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT THEREIN, A PAIR OF SIDEBY SIDE WIRE WINDING ELEMENTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID INNER HOUSINGFOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID ELEMENTS EACH HAVING ASUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING TIE WIRE ENGAGING FACE DEFINING ONESIDE OF A TIE WIRE RECEIVING NOTCH IN THE ELEMENT, SAID ELEMENTS BEINGNORMALLY POSITIONED IN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID NOTCHES AREALIGNED WITH ONE ANOTHER AND ARE FACING DOWNWARDLY, AND MEANS OPERABLYCOUPLED TO SAID ELEMENTS FOR ROTATING ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS IN ONEDIRECTION FROM SAID FIRST POSITION AND FOR ROTATING THE OTHER OF SAIDELEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO CAUSE SAID TIRE WIRE ENGAGING FACESTO URGE THE LEGS OF THE TIRE WIRES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FOR THEWINDING THEREOF.